Golden Birthday

I officially turned 24 this week. I was informed later on it was my "golden birthday" b/c I turned 24 on the 24th!!! I didn't even realize it!

It was a great birthday. I woke up to John making chocolate pancakes (my very favorite) & a package from my parents full of lots of goodies including a years subscription to "Real Simple."

The best part of the package was a sentimental key. The key belonged to the house my granddad grew up in, which fits perfectly in my old key collection! Most of my dad's side of the family is from a small town, Dallas NC. In fact, so much of my family lived on a particular street in Dallas that it was named "Davis Street" and is still named that to this day! This key is from a house on Davis street that I'm pretty sure isn't there anymore, which makes the key all the more special. I have a key from the farm my mom grew up on in Wisconsin too!

Later that evening Chris and Erica came with Shelby and Mark and their adorable son Brock for a cook out! I absolutely live for summer cook outs. We had a great time with lots of food, homemade ice cream & a cake from Cold Stone Creamery (a surprise from John). Brock loved the dogs and believe it or not Jax was his favorite! Jax needs someone else in this world to love him besides me. :)

These pictures were taken by my new and very much improved camera that John got me. I've been dying for a new "point and shoot" that doesn't make everyone within a 10ft. radius as white as Casper due to the flash & doesn't wait a year to take another picture. It's the cannon power shot and I really like it.

Thanks to all for my birthday wishes. You don't really expect phenomenal birthdays after you're 12, but this was one! I'm so blessed to have amazing friends & family in my life & I love you all so much!!

Matt checking on the corn.

The whole gang.

What a cutie!

The Camps

Told you I was excited about my new camera!

YMCA

I've never really cared much about weight. I've never been that girl that counts calories or thinks about what she's putting into her mouth. To be honest hearing other girls that become obsessed with it (please refer to a clip from "Mean Girls") has always irked me. However, I'm realizing that I've never cared because I've never had to. Sadly, I'm starting to have to!!

It was seeing myself in the pictures at my friend Arhmin's wedding that finally gave me the motivation I've been looking for to make healthy living a lifestyle. It's time to put the Y membership I've had for 3 months to good use! :)

I owe it all to having a little something called "the desk job." You just don't realize how much exercise you get just walking across campus in college or running around town with friends. It's sad to say that the extent of my walking from 8-5 is to the bathroom and back! ouch! I could be barefoot at my desk all day if I really wanted to...I'm not walking anywhere.

With that said I thought I would share a funny story that happened to me a week or so ago at the YMCA. New to the whole work out thing I was feeling pretty nervous about the weight room, the people and all the "code" talk that floats around with regular members. To make matters much worse I was a bit overemotional that day anyway. I made John help me sign up on the huge white board that has every 15 minutes sectioned off for the cardio machines. I was doing weights that day, but apparently I "needed to warm up my muscles" before diving in. John acted like the whole thing was so dern simple and it was ridiculous I was having trouble with it. We finally had my initials blocked off for 15 minutes on elliptical 1. Once I was on the machine I felt fine...and convinced myself I blended in with the "regulars." It was about that moment when I got a tap on my shoulder. "Um....I don't think you're signed up for that machine!!!" I conversed with the lady that I indeed signed up and explained my initials were in green marker. She went back to the board and then came over to me again, "no you didn't...you signed up for 5:30AM....so....I think I need that machine....elliptical 3 is open though!" Yes, I got KICKED OFF the elliptical machine. Why didn't she go to elliptical #3 if it was open!?!

I walked over to John just a little proud that this situation proved signing up for the machines wasn't as easy as he thought, but the tears were welling up in my eyes! She was really mean! I wish you could have heard the conversation that took place between John and I after that as he explained that I could NOT cry in the weight room!!!

I finally pulled it together (none came down my cheeks) and he escorted me from one weight machine to the next. It was quite a day!

Here are a few pictures to help me remember that I did run the Country Music 1/2 Marathon not too long ago and hopefully it will motivate me even more! Hats off to all those "regulars" out there that are no longer intimidated by the gym. I hope to join you soon!!

eyebrows!

That's right, this is a post about eyebrows...specifically my weird obsession with them. For those of you that know me well, I have a quirky little habit that comes out when I get tired. I frantically rub my eyebrows! :) It's something I've done since I was a baby (according to Lois). Apparently, when I was very young I would rub my mom's eyebrows while she rocked me to sleep. Then as I got older I had to change to my own...what a pity!

This is something I remember doing all my life. In fact, I was a little on the OCD side with it when I was really young. I had to rub each finger across my eyebrow an even number of times! Now you all really think I'm crazy, huh! Thankfully I've seen the light there.

I thought about my obsession with eyebrows as I sat at work in front of my computer today not even realizing I was rubbing them. Proof I'm over worked and tired! :)

I hate that I do it, but I'm ok that it's just another quirky thing about me that is free ammo for my dear friends!

My Best Friends Wedding!!

This is coming a little late, but it's still worth talking about. John and I had the best time in Cleveland a few weekends ago at Arhmin and Steve's wedding! IT WAS A BLAST. Here are a few highlights.....

• Arhmin making the prettiest bride ever!
• Steven creating "da groove" on Andy's computer
• Breakfast at cracker barrel with all our friends the next morning
• Seeing my parents and in-laws
• Getting to eat at las mas twice and zaxbys!
• sleeping in Arhmin's old bedroom again...just like old times
• Susie's chocolate chip cookies
• Arhmin's rings!!!!
• The reunion BBQ Th. night
• Cameron ironing her dress twice and it's never been worn :)
• Seeing Sarah Bennett and her prego glow
• cutting ribbon...lots of ribbon
• Watching Dara turn me into Shirley Temple
• Outback with the girls at one end and the guys at the other
• Teaching John's cousin Brooke (3) that we were in "Hot Lana" and to brush her shoulder off
• Eating dinner with the newly weds at Ruby Tuesdays!! haha it was great!

Here is some pics of the occasion.

Told you she's the prettiest bride!

It's party favor time! We wrapped the thumbprint cookies in tool and tied with ribbon.

Sweet couple

The groomsmen

John being a helper

The final GL to get married

Fun with hats at her bridesmaid luncheon!

Arhmin's Bachelorette Party!

Our Garden

Spring time is finally here and it couldn't have come at a better time! I loved the snow this year, but I was ready for some green grass and sunshine. It finally got warm enough to plant our garden & we kinda got carried away! We still don't have the strawberries in yet, but we're getting the plants this Saturday from the farmers market. Then it will be complete. So far we've got three different tomato plants, cantaloupe, watermelon, squash, zuccinni, cucumbers, a mix of bell peppers, snap peas and lettuce! I'm so excited to eat home grown fruits and vegetables. It was actually a lot of fun getting the garden ready. It's crazy to me how dark the soil is here compared to red TN dirt. Some things we started from seeds a few months ago like the peppers and others we bought. Now let's hope we can keep our little digger, Raleigh out of the garden! We also bought a reel mower to take another step towards going green. We can't do it all at once, but we're trying to make a few changes here and there each month.

Raleigh helping John plant the tomatoes.

I planted lettuce in my flower planter on the deck...against John's advice. :) These are pea seeds
Lots of seeds!

I'm diving in...

Well,
It seems that I've taken the big dive and started my own blog. I've debated on it for awhile and it was finally Paula's blog (thank you Paula) that made me take the leap. I'm not really sure what will appear on these pages in the future. I can't say that I have a super exciting life to talk about or any cute children to post pictures of, but I'll try my best to find something to say as often as I can! I guess that's kinda the whole point of blogging, right? I've loved visiting my friend's blogs so I hope having my own will be just as fun!